Pentagon: China Years Away from Effective J-20

Defense Department officials don’t think China’s stealthy J-20 combat aircraft will vie for supremacy of East Asian skies for at least another seven years, according to the Pentagon’s new report to Congress on Chinese military developments. “Although the appearance of...

Pentagon: China Is Source of Cyber Concern

Some of the targeted intrusions of computer systems around the world—including US government-owned networks—in 2010 “appear to have originated” within China, according to the Pentagon’s new report to Congress on Chinese military developments. “These intrusions were focused on exfiltrating information,”...

Air Force’s Cyber Operations Arm Turns Two

Twenty-fourth Air Force (AFCYBER) at Lackland AFB, Tex., celebrated two years of operations recently. “The people of 24th Air Force have accomplished great things in the past two years,” said Maj. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, 24th AF commander, during the Aug....

Wobbled Landing at Holloman

An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft was damaged in a landing accident at Holloman AFB, N.M., Aug. 24. Holloman officials reported no injuries or collateral damage to private property in the area. The 29th Attack Squadron, which operates the MQ-9...

Mobility Command Recants Rodeo Results

Air Mobility Command was forced to nullify the results of its 2011 Air Mobility Rodeo, stripping units of top honors erroneously awarded through a programming error. “There is an automated process in the scoring algorithm which improperly assigned a median...

New Takeoff, Landing Procedures at Charleston

JB Charleston, S.C., implemented new approach and descent procedures effective Thursday that are intended to reduce noise, fuel costs, and emissions. Lt. Col. Stan Davis, a Reservist with the 317th Airlift Squadron at Charleston, tested “optimized descents in civilian aircraft”...

USAF Receives Sixth Super Galaxy from Lockheed

Lockheed Martin delivered the third production C-5M Super Galaxy—the sixth overall—to the Air Force Aug. 24. The aircraft will undergo internal paint restoration at Stewart ANGB, N.Y., before moving on to its permanent home at Dover AFB, Del., according to...

Shindand Just Keeps Growing

Officials at Shindand AB, Afghanistan, recently opened a new 37,000-foot rotary wing staging area capable of parking 18 UH-60 Blackhawks, 14 CH-47 Chinooks, and 10 AH-64 Apaches. The apron will be used to stage and service helicopters belonging to Task...

Rally in the Pacific

Airmen and C-130s from the 36th Airlift Squadron based at Yokota AB, Japan, landed in Sri Lanka for a week of humanitarian response drills with Australian, Malaysian, and Sri Lankan partners. Pacific Airlift Rally, sponsored by Pacific Air Forces, is...

Ground System Passes Launch Test for Polar Orbiting Satellite Launch

Raytheon’s Joint Polar Satellite System common ground system successfully completed a NPOESS Preparatory Project compatibility test this month, marking the end of comprehensive testing before the weather satellite launches in October. The testing included 288 hours of continuous mission-like operations...